


Sven

by SaraJaye



Series: Ever After 'Verse [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adoption, Brief mention of alien mpreg, Crying, Family Feels, Hugs, Keith can Relate, M/M, Married Keith/Shiro (Voltron), Mention of Alternate Reality, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Orphanage, Orphans, Sad Kid Backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 21:30:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16773286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: They're used to Athena bringing home new friends, but none that Keith's ever felt a near-instant kinship with.





	Sven

"Dad, I'm home! And I brought someone with me!" The sound of Athena tossing her backpack onto the easy chair follows, along with Kosmo barking and teleporting her and her guest into the kitchen. "Hey, easy, he's not used to that! Sorry, kid."

"I-it's okay," a small voice trembles. Keith slides the last of the plates into the cabinet and turns around to see a young boy standing beside Athena. He's shorter than her, with neatly trimmed collar-length dark hair and a serious face that strikes a familiar chord within Keith.

"Hi," he says. "I'm Mr. Shirogane, but you can call me Keith if you'd like. Actually, you probably should, since my husband's also Mr. Shirogane!" Athena groans.

"Dad, face it, you'll never have a sense of humor," she says. "But it's okay. We love you for your other good qualities." Keith snorts, reaching down to pat her on the head before Kosmo leaps into his arms demanding pets.

"That sounds like something your Auntie Pidge told you to say." He scratches Kosmo behind the ears before regarding the boy again. "And your name is..."

"Boy Five." Keith blinks.

"That a nickname, or..."

"No." The boy shakes his head. "Boy Five. I...was never given a proper name." Keith's heart clenches as he immediately begins to scan the kid for bruises and scratches, but finds none. "No, it's not like that!" That accent, Keith thinks, he noticed it the first time he heard the boy speak, and he just can't place it.

"He's from the orphanage," Athena says. "His parents died when he was just a baby and nobody ever gave him a name cause there were just too many orphans that year. They thought he'd be adopted sooner and the new parents would wanna give him a name."

"But no one ever did," Keith murmured. "I'm sorry. So how did you guys meet?"

"He's in the first grade," Athena says. "But our classes have recess at the same time. One day we both wanted to use the swing, and we almost had a big fight about it before we tried to share. We both fell off and started laughing, and after that, we started hanging out every day!"

"How long?"

"For the last month or so." Athena grins, and Keith raises an eyebrow.

"And all that time, he never..."

"I've been calling him Kid," Athena said. "Whenever I ask what kind of name he wants he's never sure!"

"Is fine," the boy says quietly, "I'm used to it. Like a cat named Kitty, right?" That voice tugs at something within Keith, and when he studies the solemn face with its dark eyes and neat haircut again he's suddenly pulled back into the past. To an alternate reality where the Altean empire thrived, forced their will on others to keep the peace. The Guns of Gamora, a more confident and powerful version of Slav, and-

_Him._

Keith's tugged back to the present by Kosmo's worried whine. He crouches down next to the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Sven," he murmurs. "I mean...you should have a real name, and it just fits you. What do you think?" The boy's dark eyes widen and fill with tears, he looks back and forth between Keith and Athena.

"Yes," he murmurs. "Yes, thank you, I accept this name! A thousand thank yous, Papa!" Keith barely has time to register what the boy- _Sven_ just called him before he's hugged by both him and Athena, his shirt getting wet with their tears.

"I told you you'd like it here! Dad's the best, and when Daddy gets home he's gonna love you, too!" Wait, what? _Papa,_ Keith realizes. What did Athena _tell_ Sven about him and Shiro? Or their house?

"Athena, maybe we-"

"What's going on?" Keith doesn't even hear the door open before he hears Shiro's voice.

"Daddy! This is Sven," Athena says, "he's from the orphanage and he didn't have a name, but Dad named him and now he's gonna live with us!"

"We _did_ say we were thinking about adopting another kid," Keith says later that night, after Athena's asleep and Sven's settled into the guest bedroom. Shiro sighs, turning on the desk lamp.

"We did, yes, but thinking about it is different from our daughter bringing home a stray and dumping him into our laps." He shakes his head. "Keith, we don't even _know_ this kid."

"So? We spent all of one afternoon with Athena before we brought _her_ home," Keith reminds him.

"Yes, but that was through the adoption agency," Shiro says. "We already knew a few things about her, talked to her social worker and the caretakers, and with her it just clicked. If it hadn't, we'd have had to spend more time getting to know her before we made that decision."

"Shiro, the orphanage didn't even give him a _name._ They were so sure he'd be adopted, but he's six years old and no one's even given him more than a moment's thought." Keith closes his eyes, twisting the blankets in his hand. "Look, I didn't say yes, either. I know we can't just take him in, just like that."

Shiro wraps an arm around him, drawing his head to his shoulder, his metallic hand stroking Keith's face softly.

"But you want to."

"I know what it's like. I didn't wanna play this card, but I know how it feels to sit in an orphanage year after year, slowly realizing no family's ever going to want me. And at least I _knew_ why, I was too old and too much of a problem."

"Oh, Keith..." Shiro hugs him closer, and it's all Keith can do not to tear up at the memories.

"Something just...made me want to say yes, right then and there. Not just for Athena, not just for me...for _Sven._ " He reaches for Shiro's flesh hand. "I felt an instant connection with him."

"Because of the alternate reality," Shiro murmurs, lacing their fingers together.

"Not just that." Keith swallows. "Shiro...that Sven, in that other reality...he was our _son._ " It hadn't even registered with Keith at the time, they were so busy dealing with the evil Alteans and Sven had been rushed off to a space hospital before they had time to sit down and talk. But his face, that hairstyle, his demeanor, it took seeing the Sven before him in the kitchen for everything to fall into place.

Shiro's eyes widen as he lets this sink in, too, and he smiles a little.

"Our son? So somewhere out there, another version of you can..."

"Apparently." Keith laughs a little. "Alien biology, you know? Kolivan told me it's possible for Galra men, but my human half cancels it out. I guess in that other reality, I'm Galra enough!" He can't help but smile. "Lucky for us, we're not in that reality."

"Yeah, something tells me you wouldn't handle a pregnancy as well as Allura did," Shiro teases. Keith makes a face, punching Shiro's shoulder a little.

"Back to the subject. Something tells me you're not so eager to send Sven back to the orphanage tomorrow, either," he says. Shiro nods slowly, resting his chin atop Keith's head.

"He's a good kid. Kinda quiet, a little too timid for his own good, but hey, it'd be interesting having a quiet kid in the house for once." As much as they love Athena, she's got more energy than it took quintessence to power the Lions through the final battle, and at times her mile-a-minute imagination leaves them both dizzy.

"He's good for her." Keith smiles. "He brings out a softer side to her. She's so patient with him, almost like he's already her little brother."

"He could have family out there looking for him," Shiro says. "Family who actually want him. Before we make any big decisions, we need to know for sure."

"I know." Keith sighs, shifting to curl further into his husband's embrace. "And if he's got an aunt or an uncle or someone who wants to take him in, I know we can't stop them. But...is it bad that..." He can't even finish that thought, and Shiro nods.

"I know, Starlight." He kisses Keith's forehead. "But he's still Athena's friend, so even if he goes home with a relative he'll still come by often."

"Yeah." Keith buries his face in Shiro's neck. "We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

Sven has breakfast with them the next morning, and Keith tries not to think about how _right_ he looks at their table, sitting next to Athena as they eat the pancakes Shiro made for them. Shiro walks with them to school while Keith heads to work, and all day he has to force himself to focus on his students and the lesson plan.

During break time, he calls the orphanage to make sure someone will be there to talk to him and Shiro about Boy Five. He's careful not to call the child by his new name, worried it might look bad. Technically, he shouldn't even be still _thinking_ of the boy as Sven, in case his family wants to change it to something else.

He hopes they don't.

The end of the day can't come soon enough, and as soon as the bell rings, Keith and Shiro are hurrying to pick up the kids from school and drive up to the orphanage. Nobody says anything the whole way, even Athena's quiet as the uncertainty hangs in the air.

"You two go play with the other kids, okay?" Shiro says once they arrive. Sven leads Athena towards the little play yard while Mrs. Englewood, the main caretaker, and Sven's social worker Peter lead Keith and Shiro into the office.

"Frankly, we're surprised anyone's taken an interest in Boy Five," the social worker begins. "Not as surprised that nobody did in the first place, but we'd just about given up on him." Again, Keith thinks back to his childhood, and breathes deeply. He wants to ask _why_ nobody wanted such a nice kid, how anyone could be so blind not to notice he'd make a wonderful son.

"Does he have any family? Aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins?" he asks instead.

"Unfortunately, none who can care for him," Mrs. Englewood says sadly. "His grandparents live all the way in Sweden and in a nursing home, and his father's only sister is mentally ill." She shakes her head. "And on his mother's side of the family...frankly, he'd be better off raised by coyotes."

"I see." Shiro's expression turns grim. "Would it be bold to assume that his mother's side of the family..."

"They're not good people," Peter finishes. "Her parents were abusive and forbidden any contact with children, and her only brother's serving a life sentence in prison." Keith's jaw clenches.

"So other families think he's just a bad seed, then."

"Unfortunately," Mrs. Englewood sighs. "They ask about his family, and we're required by law to explain everything."

"It's only in the event that any of them should try to claim the child," Peter adds. "Which is highly unlikely, but..."

"But once they know, he's suddenly too much of a liability for them, isn't he." It's a struggle to keep his voice even and tepid, even as little prickles of anger rise on the back of his neck. _A problem child, not worth it, thinking the worst of him right off the bat._

Shiro's hand reaches for his, squeezing it gently, and he relaxes.

"We want to take him in with us," Shiro says. "Is that possible? If he has no family, and nobody else wants to take him home..." Mrs. Englewood presses her lips together, and Keith's stomach tenses. Is there something else standing in the way?

"The child-"

"Sven," Shiro interrupts. "His name's Sven."

"It was my idea," Keith admits. "He claimed it didn't matter, Athena was always calling him Kid, I know it's probably a bad idea to name him before-"

"Relax, Mr. Shirogane," Mrs. Englewood gently cuts him off. "Frankly, we're the ones who should be ashamed of ourselves, never getting around to properly naming him. We had so many orphans that year, and even more following the Galra invasion. You did the right thing." Keith sighs with relief.

"Thanks."

"Regarding Sven," Mrs. Englewood continues, "he doesn't trust easily, especially adults. Right now, it may seem like he's taken a shine to you and your family. He's a sweet, polite boy. But trust issues manifest themselves in different ways depending on the child."

"And in Sven's case, he's a bit _too_ well-behaved," Peter adds. "Always trying to be a model child, does everything he's asked to, never joins in on the other children's wild games. Most parents wish their kids would be a little neater and quieter, we wish he'd be a little more loud and messy."

"Because all those families rejected him." Keith nods. "I could sort of sense something was off. He kept asking if we wanted his help with the dishes or any other chores, seemed afraid to ask for a second helping of anything at dinner, apologized for sleeping through the alarm's first ring."

"Exactly." Mrs. Englewood nods. "If you take him in, you'll have to very gently help him learn to relax. All three of you."

"He seems comfortable with Athena," Shiro says. "Then again, right now she's only a school friend. She'll probably get a little overbearing once she's his sister." Peter nods.

"So you two are one-hundred percent serious about adopting him, then?"

"More than one-hundred," Keith says. "We don't care how nervous he is, how much he tries too hard, or however long it takes to help him relax. We will never, _ever_ give up on him." Shiro squeezes his hand again, gives him a knowing smile.

"Us Shiroganes are a patient sort," he adds.

Half an hour later, the adoption papers are signed, and Keith's unable to hold back his tears as Sven rushes into his arms for a big hug.

"Papa...I may call you that now? Your home is mine?"

"Yes," Keith chokes, feeling Sven's own tears seeping into his Garrison jacket. "Yes, we're your home now. And we'll always be here for you, no matter what." In that other reality, Sven was alone except for his partner, his parents taken from him, but in this reality he and Shiro are alive and well. The world is at peace, and nothing will ever tear their family apart.

"So, shall we go out to dinner to celebrate? Or should we just order takeout and watch a movie at home?" Shiro asks. He's got Athena balanced on his hip, and she's grinning widely.

"What do you think, Sven?" Keith asks. "Your choice, we'll do whatever you want."

"Well..." Sven takes a few moments to consider this, and the rest of them are quiet. Patience yields focus, and fosters trust between nervous children and parents. "I...would like to order takeout pizza, and watch a movie. Your house makes me very comfortable."

"Great!" Athena hops down from Shiro's arms. "So what kind of movies do you like the best?"

The drive home is full of chatter and smiles, Keith's mind fully at ease. He imagines alternate Sven is well and happy, safe from the Altean empire's control. Sharing memories of his own parents with Slav.

And in his memory, the sullen orphan whom nobody wanted smiles.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, those were nods to the "Sven is a Sheith lovechild" headcanon by zuspacey and various others on Tumblr/Twitter. :D I wanted to give Keith an extra dose of feels in addition to Relating to a poor kid nobody wanted.


End file.
